The Techno Babble Dictionary
by Jen717
Summary: What are EPS manifolds? What do power cuplings do? Nobody understands Trip's technobabble anymore, so Hoshi is assigned the job of personal translator. Please R&R. (COMPLETE)
1. Chapter 1

   August 15th, 2154, 0800 hours. Linguist ensign Hoshi Sato stepped into engineering of the Enterprise NX-01, where the hum of the warp engine immediately greeted her. Trip was standing on the elevated area in front of the engine controls. He leaned over the railing, looking down and talking to Captain Archer and Sub-Commander T'pol. She stopped within hearing range, about 5 paces behind Archer and T'pol.

   "Remember that last anomaly, as we were leaving the Delphic Expanse? It really it us hard, as well as those Xindi Cruisers. The starboard nacelle is offline 'cause half the coils are fused. The EPS manifolds are another questions, half the power cuplings have been destroyed, and the power grid is severely damaged. The best warp I can give you now is warp 1.7."

   Hoshi's eyes widened in surprise. "What are you talking about?" She asked. Archer and T'pol turned around, noticing her for the first time. "The power grid is perfectly fine! If it were damaged at all wouldn't most the stations and lights and everything be offline? And the engine is humming like a baby! It's perfectly fine! The starboard nacelle barely got a scratch."

   Archer stepped up to her and whispered in her ear, "Thank heavens you're here. Trip has been rambling like this all day. T'pol and I can't translate his techno babble at all, we think even Trip doesn't know what he's saying."

   "How could Trip not know what he's saying? He's only the engineer."

   "By the looks of it he's not skilled in techno babble. We need you to help translate."

   "But… but I don't know very many of Trip's engineer terminology!"

   "Hoshi," Archer asked beggingly. "We need your help."

   Hoshi sighed, taking in a deep gulp of air. "Has Phlox taken a look at Trip to see if there's anything wrong with them that might be meddling with his speech?"

   Archer nodded. "Says there's nothing wrong with him."

   Hoshi nodded. She brushed past the Captain, stopping to look up at Trip beside T'pol. "Hey, Trip. How's it going?"

   "Don't tell me you paced through 17 corridors and 2 turbo lifts just to question me by the neon glow of the engine?" Trip smiled playfully.

   "Ummm," Hoshi stammered. "That's not really the answer I had in mind."

   "I'm sorry I didn't please your neural net."

   "What?" Hoshi asked quietly to T'pol.

   "I'm sorry I didn't please your brain." She said, the best she could make of Trip's gibberish.

   "What time is it?" Hoshi asked suddenly. She promised Phlox to visit and feed his animals at 0900 hours.

   "According to the ship's chronometer, it is 0800 hours, but the chronometer was knocked out of alignment when that last Xindi vessel fired it's photon torpedoes and hit the forward hull plating, near the O2 recycler." Trip babbled.

   "Huh?" Hoshi asked. She turned back to Archer. "Captain, I'll need more time to study Trip's terminology, grammar, and vocabulary. I'm going to write a techno babble dictionary."

   "Sure. You have all the time you need, but try to be quick." Archer smiled at her, the kind of smile that seemed to stay 'I trust you, I believe in you, I have faith in you,' but really said 'I feel so, so, so sorry for you!'

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**I myself don't know very many Star Trek terms. I don't know what EPS manifolds are, or what power cuplings do, etc. So any help on Star Trek terminology would be greatly appreciated!! (Just list some stuff and tell me what they do. Please.)**


	2. Chapter 2

**Forgot to put this in the first chapter: Disclaimer – Don't own anybody.**

**This is the way the chapters work: Story, dictionary, story, dictionary, story, dictionary etc. The bold words in the story are words that are going to be included in the following dictionary chapter. Wow, I'm beginning to sound like Trip myself!**

**-------------------------------------------------------------------**

   Trip was taking a break from repairs in the mess hall. Hoshi was with him, trying to decipher his odd speech.

   "Ice cream sundae, chocolate." Hoshi spoke into the replicator. The replicator whirred as it reproduced an ice cream sundae. She picked up the spoon and headed toward a table near the back of the room.

   "I think this **food processor** is broken." Trip said. Hoshi stopped to look at him.

   "What? The what?"

   "Food processor. It imitates a number of varieties of nutrition and beverages by recreating its molecules and DNA strands." Trip answered.

   "No, it's fine." Hoshi answered. She had become used to Trip saying that something was broken. She had no idea why he said that, when even _she _knew the device wasn't broken.

   Trip shrugged. "Agreed. Ice cream sundae, chocolate." Trip repeated in the replicator. When it finished, he joined Hoshi at her table. She looked in surprise at his choice of food.

   "Aren't you going to have Pecan pie?" She asked.

   "What?" Trip asked, after spooning a giant mouthful of ice cream into his mouth. "No, I suppose not." He continued to spoon great gobs of the ice cream into his mouth.

   "Gosh, Trip, slow down, you're going to make me sick!" Hoshi yelled.

   "Oh, pardon." Trip said. He placed the empty dish on the table, and tossed the spoon into the dish. "I'll be back in 62 seconds." He said, getting out of his seat. He went back to replicator and replicated something that Hoshi couldn't make out. He came back, and tossed a loaf of white bread and a loaf of brown bread on the table. Hoshi choked on her ice cream.

   "Trip, are you OK?"

   "All bodily functions in perfect working order. Brain functions normal, heart rate normal, blood pressure normal –"

   Hoshi cut Trip off. "Sir, are you ill?"

   "In other word, no." Trip answered, taking his seat.

   "Then what's with the bread?"

   "It's delicious!" Trip replied, opening up the bag of white bread.

   Hoshi raised her eyebrow in suspicion. "Well don't eat it all now, you'll make yourself sick. I want you to eat just one slice then you take those loaves to your quarters, got it?"

   "I thought I was rank commander of the Starship Enterprise NX-01." Trip laughed.

   "Last time I checked the commander of the Enterprise wasn't this crazy." Hoshi smiled.

---------------------------------------------------------

   Hoshi and Trip crawled along inside the Jeffries tube, Trip holding a small case of tools. Hoshi was behind Trip, and when she stopped, Trip continued to crawl.

   "Sir, the time controls are behind here." She said, pointing to a panel as Trip looked over his shoulder.

   "Right. I was aware of that, my brain just chose to ignore that. I need exercise." He crawled back to where Hoshi knelt and pulled out the panel, revealing blinking lights and broken wires.

   "So what did you say happened to the clock?"

   "The **chronometer** was knocked out of **alignment** when that last Xindi vessel fired its **photon torpedoes** and hit the forward hull plating, near the **O2 recycler**." Trip opened the case and pulled out a pointy device. He touched it to parts of panel to stimulate the flow of electricity through them.

   "Photon torpedoes?" Hoshi asked, watching Trip. "I didn't know the Xindi had those. I thought only the Klingons did. T'pol, Malcolm, and I saw the word 'photon torpedoes' on the weapons control panel on Klingon ship we found on that planet. Didn't Malcolm tell you about that?"

   "Yes he did. Obviously the Xindi have similar weapons systems as the Klingons." Trip said, putting the device back in the case and taking out another one. He touched it to the end of the broken circuits, which helped to reconnect them to the main computer. "This should do the trick. The chronometer will be connected to the **main computer** in no time." Trip laughed. "Get it?" He turned to Hoshi.

   "Har har, Trip." She responded, brushing away a strand of hair from her face. "What does the O2 recycler have to do with the chronometer?"

   "The O2 recycler runs on a **time counter**, and this time counter is connected to the chronometer, which is also connected to the main computer because other components of this vessel run on time counters." Trip answered, leaning back against the side of the Jeffries tube. "There, that should do it." He closed his little briefcase.

   "Time counter? You mean timer?"

   "Affirmative." Trip answered.

   "Trip, can't you just speak in simpler terms?" Hoshi asked as she and Trip crawled on towards the O2 recycler controls.

   "Simpler terms? Um, no."

   "Why not?"

   Trip inhaled deeply. "You see, if I were to talk in simpler terms, also known as 'understandably,' --"

   Hoshi cut him off again. "Forget it, Trip. I don't want to know." She rolled her eyes.

   "But you said!"

   "I didn't say anything, Trip." Hoshi said sternly.

   "But you--" Trip stammered. He turned to look at her. She glared back at her. "You didn't say a word." He complied.

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   At the end of her shift, Hoshi settled down in front of the desk in her quarters. She pulled out an unused padd from a drawer, and began typing terms into her dictionary.


	3. Chapter 3

**Food Processor:**

**A device found in the mess hall which replicates organic materials (food) and fluids (drink) by recreating its DNA molecules piece by piece. Can also recreate spoons, plates, cups etc.**

**Also Known As (AKA): Replicator.**

**Chronometer:**

**A doo-dad which is hooked up to the main computer and all the ship's vital systems. Is used to time the O2 recycler and other systems, and also used as a normal clock for telling time, used in the 4 digit time system (0800 hours, for example).**

**AKA: Timer, clock, time recorder.**

**Alignment:**

**When things are lined up in relation to each other. The spatial property of an arrangement or position of things in a straight line or in parallel lines.**

**AKA: Arrangement, placement.**

**Photon Torpedoes:**

**A weapon possessed by aggressive alien species. Have photonic war heads, and are more powerful than ****Enterprise****'s Standard Starfleet torpedoes.**

**AKA: Torpedoes, 'fun' (from Malcolm's point of view)**

**O2 Recycler:**

**A device which is part of the environmental controls. It allows oxygen (O2) to flow through it where it is cleaned. The clean air is then sucked back out and the Carbon Dioxide is disposed of (how: Unspecified).**

**AKA: Air cleaner, air freshener, O2 controls, Carbon Dioxide disposal device.**

**Main Computer:**

**The main part of the ****Enterprise****. Stores data and transfers commands from bridge posts (helm, tactical, engineering) to places receiving the command (engineering, torpedo bay). "Brain" of the ****Enterprise****. Any part of the ship that isn't Human, hull, or bulkhead.**

**AKA: Not other words apply to the main computer.**

**Timer Counter:**

**See "Chronometer."**


	4. Chapter 4

August 16th, 2154, 0900 hours.

   Malcolm strolled casually down a corridor, his head bent over a padd. He was heading towards the armoury, and was reading over some torpedo upgrades. He entered the armoury, and saw that there was only an ensign or two on duty. It wasn't Malcolm's shift yet, he rarely had night shift. But he wanted to make sure that the torpedoes were upgraded properly.

   The British tactical officer had barely stepped into the armoury when he noticed a small, golden cloud of smoke hanging in one corner near the armoury ceiling. The smoke, noticing Malcolm step into the armoury, quickly dived down toward him, slicing through the air like a knife. Startled, Malcolm stumbled backward, and tripped over the bottom of the door frame, crashing to the floor. The cloud didn't seem to care, and came closer and closer to Malcolm, before finally brushing against his face. It punctured Malcolm's skin, and disappeared within the Brit's head.

   Malcolm began to spasm violently. He kicked his legs, flailed his arms. He clenched his fingers into a tight fist, trying to fight whatever had entered him. He winced, when suddenly he noticed that whatever had entered him was trying to take control of his body. It felt like… Trip. He didn't know how or why or what was going on, but he knew the thing was Trip and was trying to take control of his body. 'Malcolm,' he seemed to say, 'stop fighting, I need you, just for a little while.' But Malcolm wouldn't have it.

   The ensign that was in the armoury ran to Malcolm's screaming body, placing her hand on his shoulder, trying to calm him down. "Sir, calm down, please be quiet, shhh." She had barely finished soothing him when… 'Trip' left Malcolm and floated away, back into the armoury and through the ceiling. Malcolm stopped, and shivered as he lay on the floor. "Sir, are you alright?" There was no answer from Malcolm. "We'd better get you down to sickbay."

*        *        *       *

   "I'm absolutely positive it was Trip, sir." Malcolm, being scanned by Phlox on a bio-bed, told Archer. The ensign had gone back to the armoury, and Malcolm was in sickbay with Phlox and Archer.

   "How could it have been Trip? What makes you think that?" Archer pressed.

   "The thing, the smoke that entered my body was trying to get take control of me. I heard it… communicate with me, saying that it needed my body for just a short time. It sounded like Trip. I could recognize that accent anywhere." Malcolm informed him.

   "Well, 'Trip' has done no physical harm to you." Phlox added. "This is very interesting; tell me what did this smoke look like?"

   "It looked like smoke, and it was gold and small."

   "Smoke, like a wisp?" Phlox asked again.

   "Yes, a wis—" Malcolm whipped his head toward Archer, looking him straight in the eye.

   "No!" Archer doubted. "You don't think it was a wisp has taken control of Trip's body, and… 'Trip' is just wandering around the ship?"

   "I wouldn't be surprised if that were the case." Phlox said, his voice jolly as always.

   Archer muttered under his breath and marched over to the comm. panel. "Archer to Ensign Sato." He said, pressing one of the buttons.

   "Sato here." Came her response.

   "Hoshi, remember that time, before the Xindi, when the wisp things took control of Trip?"

   "Yes sir, I remember. Believe or not sir, I think that's what's happening to him now. He's obsessed with bread!" Hoshi told him.

   "You knew and didn't tell me before?"

   "No sir, I had my suspicions, but not enough proof."

   Archer nodded. "Good work, Ensign. Try and get him to the catwalk."

   "Aye sir."

   "Archer out." He turned back to Malcolm, just in time to see the yellow wisp come through the sickbay wall and race toward Malcolm. The poor tactical officer had no time to react or fight Trip. He fell off the bio-bed and lay on the floor for a moment, before standing up slowly and blinking a few times. Archer and Phlox stood gawking at him, jaws dropped slightly. Reed inspected his hands and his uniform.

   "Sir?" He asked.

   "Malcolm?" Archer answered.

   "No, Trip."

   "You're Trip?" Phlox asked. "How do you feel?"

   Reed… Trip… looked down at his hands again. "A little tingly. It's been a while since I existed in physical form, but I guess I'm alright."

   "What about Malcolm? Is he OK?" Archer asked worriedly.

   "He's alright, although he must feel a little awkward about not being in control of his own body." Trip chuckled.

   "Trip, how come you couldn't have gone back to your own body?"

   "Those wisp things are strong. I don't stand a chance against it." Trip sighed. "I don't know where it came from. It must have survived from when we destroyed the ship about a year ago. It must have found its way back here, and found me again. I –" Trip paused, the expression on Reed's face becoming blank.

   "Commander?" Archer asked, stepping forward. Phlox took his place beside Reed, scanner in hand. After a moment, Phlox smiled.

   "Looks like Reed is fighting Trip." He chuckled. Archer rolled his eyes.

   Suddenly Trip, the golden wisp, burst from Malcolm's body. Malcolm stumbled backward against the bio-bed.

   "Lieutenant?" Archer asked. Trip hovered in the air.

   "I'm alright sir." He said.

   "He's alright, sir." Phlox repeated, the smile never leaving his face.

   "Alright," Archer began, "we have a catwalk to visit." He, Malcolm and Trip exited sick bay and marched purposefully to the catwalk…


	5. Chapter 5

   "There." Trip said, leaning back from a blinking console in a Jefferies Tube. "That should correct the problem."

   "Good." Hoshi said, fumbling with the padd she was using to write out her dictionary. "Cause we've got other work to do in the…" She paused, pulling out another padd from beneath her dictionary. She flipped through a list of repairs. "The starboard nacelle and a couple of air ducts. Those two should be our top priority."

   Trip smiled at her. "I thought I was the chief engineer around here."

   "You are. But you've been acting kind of funny lately to qualify."

   "Excuse me?" Trip answered playfully.

   "Archer to Ensign Sato." The comm. panel interrupted. Hoshi crawled to the nearest comm. panel, which was at the end of the tube.

   "Sato here."

   "Hoshi, remember that time, before the Xindi, when the wisp things took control of Trip?" Archer asked.

   "Yes sir, I remember. Believe it or not sir, I think that's what's happening to him now. He's obsessed with bread!" Hoshi told him, lowering her voice so Trip wouldn't hear. He was packing his tools back into their case.

   "You knew and didn't tell me before?"

   "No sir, I had my suspicions but not enough proof."

   "Good work, ensign. Try and get him to the catwalk. Malcolm… 'Trip' and I will meet you there."

   "Aye sir." Hoshi agreed.

   "Archer out."

   "Trip, you ready?" Hoshi called down the tube.

   "Yep. Let's go!" Trip crawled towards her and led her out of the tubes. When they climbed out into the corridor, Hoshi suggested they go to the nacelle, first.

   "Alright, no problem." And he led them off toward the starboard nacelle, to the catwalk. On the way, Hoshi continued with the dictionary. She has having troubles with a few words. The wisp, having been in control of a more advanced ship, had pieces of technology that Hoshi couldn't even put a name to if she had it right in front of her. A few words included the warp core (_But __Enterprise__ has warp engine, _Hoshi thought), plasma duct, and isolinear chips.

   "Here we are!" Trip said suddenly. Hoshi looked up. A ladder, off to the side of the hallway, led up to the catwalk. "Females first." Trip smiled. Hoshi smiled, too.

   She began to climb up the silvery ladder, and was almost in the catwalk, when suddenly Trip whammed his tool case against her head. She slumped, and fell to the floor.

   Trip, seeing no one else in the corridor, ran back towards the Jefferies tubes.

**+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+***

**Sorry long time no write. I've been working on that other story a lot offline, and thinking about other stories for the series.**

**And Academy…**** I got one review saying "Continue" and another saying "Perhaps." And that's it. So I'll be stopping with it, for now, anyway.**

**And YES! I have been planning this out from the beginning. Pretty much the only reason I started this story was because I thought _Wouldn't__ it be great to write my own little story about the wisps? That was just THE best episode! _**J


	6. Chapter 6

   Archer and Malcolm, armed with phasers, rushed down the corridors toward the catwalk. When turning each corner, Malcolm pointed is phaser expectantly, but didn't relax when he didn't see Trip. Archer was right behind him, pointing his phaser also. They rounded another corner, and saw Hoshi lying on the floor, two padds thrown down beside her.

   "Hoshi!" Archer called, and the two men rushed to her side, the golden wisp close behind. Archer checked her pulse, while Malcolm picked up the padds.

   "It looks like Hoshi was working on her techno babble dictionary." Malcolm commented.

   "Archer to bridge." Archer said, punching the comm. panel beside the ladder.

   "T'pol here." Came the Vulcan's emotionless response.

   "Scan for Commander Tucker's bio sign." He ordered.

   Trip, the wisp Trip, went into Hoshi. At first nothing happened, and she remained motionless on the ground. Suddenly her eyes popped open. Malcolm jumped in surprise.

   As Hoshi sat up, T'pol response came over the comm. "He's in Jeffries tube junction 17."

   Archer nodded. "Archer out." He turned and squatted down beside Hoshi. "Hoshi?" He asked. "Are you alright?"

   "Hoshi's alright." Came her response.

   Archer leaned back in surprise, and then relaxed. "You know Trip, this is going to take a long time to get used to."

   "The sooner we find… erm… Trip… the sooner this will end." Hoshi stood up. The back of her head throbbed terribly.

   "Are you alright Commensign?" Malcolm asked, realizing he said Commander and switching to ensign too late.

   Hoshi nodded with a slight chuckle. "I'll be alright. Let's go." She started down the hall, and Malcolm and Archer followed.

   "Trip, can you access Hoshi's memory?" Archer asked as they continued on their way, with Malcolm pointing and tensing at each corner they turned.

   "I think so." She called back over her shoulder.

   "Where would the wisp take Trip? It seems like a lose-win situation. It can't really do anything with Trip, since we can just cut off the air supply to whatever part of the ship he's in. Since these wisps can obviously survive in space, why doesn't it just live in space?"

   There was a pause as Trip searched Hoshi's memory. "Hoshi thinks that the wisp will keep running with Trip, as long as it stays in a corporeal body."

   Malcolm stopped to climb up a ladder to junction 17. "What do you think would happen if it went into a hologram? Is that possible?" His boots clanked as he went up the ladder.

   "A hologram?" Hoshi repeated thoughtfully. "A hologram." Suddenly her eyes went blank.

   "Commander? Ensign?" Archer asked, not knowing which was in trouble.

   "Hoshi's waking up." Came her response, and suddenly the yellow cloud exited her body.


	7. Chapter 7

   He had no where to go, no where to run, no where to hide… and he knew it. This fragile body couldn't take him anywhere anymore, and he knew it. Sometimes he just wanted to be himself, be a wisp… and then the crack of the human's head bonking on the bulkhead would remind him of his "captive."

   He paused in the middle of the tube and leaned against the wall. _Clear your mind; just think! _He told himself, pinching the bridge of his nose. He couldn't think clearly. His plan was poorly thought out, and he was doing a poor job coming up with an escape plan.

   Maybe he should just leave the Commanders body and float around in space. Find a Klingon vessel to wreak havoc on. Or an Andorian vessel. The Commanders lips curled into a mischievous smile. Andorians… he loved 'em. Especially the ladies…

   The wisp pulled himself out of his dreams at the sound of voices and clanking further down the tube. He got up to go crawl away in a hurry, but was greeted by a phaser, held by Malcolm, waiting for him.

   "I've got him, Captain!" Malcolm called.

   How the wisp wished to strangle that voice!

   "Good work!" Said Archer, coming around behind Trip with Hoshi. He turned to Trip. "Well, what do you plan on doing next?"

   Trip slumped against the wall of the tube again. "I have no idea. I'm thinking maybe I should float around in space for the next few hundred years."

   "Oh, you don't have to do that!" Hoshi said, her eyes glowing with concern. "We'll be arriving at Jupiter Station soon, and there are lots of people there!"

   Trip chuckled. "You'll really let me take over someone at Jupiter Station?" He smiled.

   "Oh, of course we will!" Archer encouraged.

   Trip laughed again. "You're joking!"

   "Actually, we have quite a good selection for you. There are Klingons, Andorians, Ferengi, Vulcans, Romulans, Xindi, Denobulan, Human… any species you want to be." Reed added.

   Trip's eyes took on a dreamy expression as he thought of the possibilities. But the emotion quickly faded. "You're sure you're not just playing with my mind?"

   "Of course we're sure! Trip, we will help you in any way we can." Hoshi said, her eyes beaming with honesty. And Trip, having access to the human host's memory, knew of Hoshi's honesty.

   Trip nodded slightly. "Please, my name is Fizadelt."

   "Fizadelt." Archer repeated. "We'd better find you some quarters." He turned to go back down the tube.

   "But I have quarters." Fizadelt pointed out.

   "Trip." Malcolm said from behind him. "Trip has quarters. Your 'host' as quarters. But you're a guest, so you get quest quarters."

   "You mean you're not throwin' me in the brig?" Fizadelt asked.

   Malcolm shrugged as they crawled along. "What use would it be? You'd just leave Trip and find somebody else."

**-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-**

**Gah! Again, sorry it's been so long since an update! Another chapter of Love for the Language is coming soon, I promise!**

**Reedie: Maybe we should find an online chat room somewhere… :-/**

**Just an FYI, people… did ya know Ferengi is Chinese for 'outsider'?**


	8. Chapter 8

There was a dull thud as the Enterprise docked at Jupiter Station. Archer and Fizadelt stood in the ready-room, staring out the window at the giant, swirling planet. Fizadelt's jaw hung like a door hanging off its hinges.

   "What did you call this planet?" He asked.

   "Jupiter. It's called Jupiter. The fifth planet in the Sol System." Archer responded. There was a pause as they gazed at Jupiter some more. "I've already contacted Captain Trisha and told her to select some hosts for you. She thinks you'll like them."

   "Really? Are you trying to fool me? You have been too generous." He sighed. "Are there Andorian females?" He asked hopefully.

   "There's a good selection." Archer answered. "Are you ready?"

   With a last look at Jupiter, Fizadelt nodded. The two men turned from the window, and exited the ready room.

   Along the way to the docking port, Reed and Hoshi joined Archer and Fizadelt. Reed carried a medium-sized chest tucked under one arm.

   "What's that?" Fizadelt asked.

   "A farewell present." Reed smiled.

   "I cannot believe this! Do you not think I'm a dangerous soul-stealing cloud that will come to take over you in the late hours of the night?!" Fiz asked, confused at the hospitality of the crew. Suspicion began to blossom in his mind.

   Reed chuckled, and Hoshi smiled. "You've certainly sparked up our mission a bit, and given a new meaning to 'seek out new life and new civilizations.'" She said. Fiz smiled as well.

   "Here." Archer said. He opened the docking port door, then the door to Jupiter Station.

   Fiz whistled at what he saw. Captain Trisha waited for them, her arms folded behind her back. A gentle smile raised the corners of her soft pink lips, and her dark, ruby hair was styled neatly in as a disk on the back of her head. Dark freckles were scattered over her nose and cheeks. "Captain Archer." She greeted, her voice full of command and authority. "It's good to see you again."

   Archer stepped up beside her, Fiz, Reed, and Hoshi following. "You too! Trisha, this is Fizadelt. He's the one you have prepared some of your crewmen for."

   Trisha nodded, a hint of sadness in her eyes. Fiz saw this and shook his head. "I'm sorry to have to make you choose hosts like this. I know it has to be challenging."

   "No problem." Trisha answered. "Let's get down to business. Follow me." She turned, and brought her arms down to her side.

   The group of five traveled down the well lit halls. Fiz inspected the people that passed, but they didn't stop to stare. They had work to do, and if they didn't do it…. Captain Trisha had her ways. The constant turning and twisting down multiple corridors made Fiz begin to lose his sense of direction.

   "This Station is large." He commented.

    Trisha nodded, and stopped beside a bulky, dull grey door. "In here. They're waiting for you." She pressed the button beside the door, and it slowly whooshed open.

   Inside, there were a few pieces of furniture: Two couches, four stools,  three chairs, and a table. From the ceiling hung an unshaded light bulb.

   "This section of the station is rather new, so we haven't had the time to furnish it properly yet." Trisha said.

   "It's not the furniture that matters." Fiz answered. He stared at each person in the room: A few men dressed in the Station uniform along with a few women, and a few aliens dressed in clothes of their culture. He spotted a Ferengi, a Klingon, a few Vulcans… and two Andorians. There was a male, his antennae low to his head, dark eyes staring blankly back at Fizadelt, and a woman, her star-white hair tied back in a pony-tail behind her head. Her coal dark eyes seemed to burn from within. Fiz caught her eye, and smiled. _Dangerous! _He thought, and winked at her.

   A weird look came across his face. A blank look, unreadable, as if Fiz was still in Trip's body but not yet connected to him. Reed set the chest on the ground and opened the lid a little bit. The lively look came back on Trip's face, his eyes still twinkling at the Andorian.

   "May the warp engines hum in your favour." Hoshi said half reluctantly. It was the best techno babble farewell she could think of.

   Fiz nodded. "Yes. In my favour." And suddenly the wisp burst out of Trip's body and dived straight for the Andorian. Reed threw the lid off the chest, and Trip's yellow wisp came out of it. He went back into his body, which had fallen limp into Hoshi's arms. But before 'Yellow-Trip' had moved an inch, Reed pulled a phaser from the bottom of the chest and aimed it into the holodeck. With the setting already set to stun, and with some minor adjustments Reed had made to enhance the fire-power, he shot into the room.

   The yellow beam cut through the room, chasing after Fizadelt. At the same time, Captain Trisha fumbled with the holodeck control pad beside the door, and hastily shut off the program. The people, furniture, and bulb disappeared. The only objects in the room were Fiz and the phaser beam.

   It was a direct hit. Fiz was caught by the beam, and seemed unaffected at first. But he didn't move. The wisp changed colour from blue, to green, to purple, and finally to red. After a moment, the wisp seemed to dissolve into the air. Reed stopped firing.

   Trip groaned from where he lay on the deck. Hoshi soothed him, trying to help him up. He stumbled at first, but Hoshi's firm grip kept him up. Trip stared into the empty holodeck, then at Reed, Archer, Hoshi, and finally Captain Trisha. He looked back at Archer.

   "Remind me to never make first contact again." He said breathlessly.

   "Are you alright, Trip?" Archer asked.

   Trip nodded. He looked back at Captain Trisha, and she smiled slightly. "How long ago did you install the holodeck?" He asked curiously, remembering his first experience in a holodeck.

   "Around three months ago. The Vulcans explained to Starfleet what a holodeck is and how it functions after Captain Archer sent the report about your experience in the alien holodeck four years ago. People began to experiment, trying to piece together a basic holodeck. Finally someone succeeded, and the technology was presented to Starfleet and they improved upon it." Captain Trisha shook her head. "Didn't you know? I guess you don't know these things, when you're flying around in space over the speed limit." She joked. There was a hint of longing in her eyes, the long to explore. She promised herself, mentally, that one day she would become Captain of a Starship….

**=/=   =/=   =/=   =/=   =/=   =/=   =/=   =/=   =/=   **

   Hoshi sat in at the desk in her quarters. It was 1000 hours; it had been a while since her shift ended. The lights in her room were off. The only light to guide her was the light of stars soaring past the window. "Computer, begin recording."

   _Personal Log, __April 21st, 2156___

_   We finally got rid of Fizadelt, one of the "wisps" that take over other people's bodies. I didn't think they could be killed, but then again Mr. Reed is a miracle worker when it comes to blowing something up_

_   I don't know what I'm going to do with my Techno Babble Dictionary, now that everyone can understand what Commander Tucker is talking about. Maybe I should send it with the Captain's report to Admiral Forrest. I would like to keep a copy for myself, though, too. Some of the things Tri – Fizadelt talked about ,like star dates, warp cores, and __bio-neural gel pack  might be interesting for me, Commander Tucker, or anyone else to study. Or I could keep it all to myself, try and invent these things, and become rich. Then I would marry Reed._

"Archer to Ensign Sato." Archer's voice came over the comm.

   "Computer, pause recording." She commanded, and the computer beeped in response. She noticed that they had dropped out of warp as she quickly fumbled for the lights. She pressed the comm. on the wall above her bed. "Sato here."

   "Sorry to call you back on duty, Ensign, but the Xindi have unexpectedly dropped by for a visit." There was happiness in his voice, Hoshi could tell.

   "Xindi?" She said, temporarily blinded by the lights.

   "Yes, Xindi. The Aquatics and Insectoid are here with the Arboreals and Humanoids." He said, as if explaining to a child.

   Hoshi smiled. "Of course, sir. Sato out." She turned the lights out again, and her vision came back to her suddenly, almost blinding her again. She looked out the window, and could see the Aquatic vessel approaching.

   She pressed the button beside the door, and it opened. Dim light from the corridor spilled into her quarters. As she made her way down the corridor, she thought to herself: _67 dialects of Insectoid is better than Techno Babble any day…._

**=/=   =/=   =/=   =/=   =/=   =/=   =/=   =/=   =/=**

**Long time no post on this story. It took me a while to think how to end it. I had a great idea, and then as suddenly as it came I lost it. So I had to think it over again. And, finally, here it is. :)**


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